Transformers Oneshots
by Burning-Stars98
Summary: Several oneshots I've written, based in RID2015 and Rescue Bots, mostly. They're all in good fun.
1. Cybertronian, Meet Cetacean (RID2015)

Sometimes being mechanical sucked.

He'd suffered this fate before, but it didn't make it any less annoying. Clumsiness, plus being on a boat, plus being composed of heavy metal alloys, equaled... A dinobot stuck at the bottom of the bay. Yet another fight with some 'cons, leading to him taking an unscheduled swim...or sink, in his case.

**Grimlock? Grimlock, do you copy?**

The dinobot groaned as he tapped his comm. "Yeah... I'm fine, Bee..." He muttered. "Don't suppose you could drop the anchor for me?"

**A little-Ergh!... Busy at the moment!** Sideswipe responded. **J-Just hang in there, Big Guy!**

Grimlock sighed, plopping down on the sandy bottom. Why did this always happen to him? Well, at least there weren't any cats down here. But there wasn't any cons down here for him to punch, either...

A moaning sound caught his attention, and he looked up. "Huh?" The sound echoed off of the ship above him and the rocks around him, fading away before another, slightly higher-pitched moan followed it. "Uh...Bee? I don't think I'm alone down here...!"

**What do you mean?**

"I'm-" Another loud moan come from another direction. He was being surrounded, he knew it! "...I-"

Any bubbles trapped between Grimlock's teeth were freed by his jaw dropping. Something was swimming towards him, slightly larger than him and making loud noises. He frantically jumped up, kicking his legs and flailing his arms in an attempt to get to the surface again. Whatever it was, it was closing distance fast, and he could see darker patches getting clearer and exposing that it had much larger reinforcements. "Bee! It's gonna get me! It's gonna get me!" He screamed into the comm link. "I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT!"

**_What's_**** going to get you?** Bumblebee asked firmly. **Grim-**

Whatever was said after that was blocked out by Grimlock's terrified screaming. He threw sand on himself, attempting to bury himself and hide from whatever the creatures were. Moaning sounds rang in his audio receptors, echoing and vibrating off of his plating, making it rattle. He was too scared to move, and from under the sand, he could see the shapes circling him, getting ever closer.

**Grim? Grimlock…**

Grimlock's optics widened a little as Bumblebee's voice came through the comm, the channel was still open.

**Grim...Tell me...What do you see?**

Grimlock moved his head slowly, looking up as the larger shapes swam overhead, the moaning and high-pitched whines coming from them as they circled the area. "Th-They're huge!" He whimpered. "Huge fish!"

There came a sigh. **Grim...They're not fish, and they're also harmless.**

Grim climbed out of the sand, standing up again. One of the smaller creatures came down towards him, and a series of bubbles left a hole on the top of its head as it whined and nudged him a bit. "You sure, Bee?"

**Absolutely... They're called whales, Grim. Humpback whales, from the sound of them. They only eat creatures in the water that are smaller than your optic.**

Grim relaxed a little. "Really?"

**Really. They're nothing to be worried about. We're finishing up restraining these cons, so we'll get to you in a minute.**

"They're surrounding me... Poking me with their noses!"

**They're just curious. They've never seen a dinobot before.**  
Grimlock reached out with a hand, stroking the fin of one of the whales as it passed by, its eye looking back at him. **Those sounds they're making? That's them communicating with each other. Underwater, those songs of theirs can carry for hundreds of miles.**

"Cool...But they _look_ like fish."

**I know. But they're not, they're mammals like Denny and Russell.**

"...They don't _look_ like Denny and Russell."

Bee chuckled. **You remember when we were fighting off Hammerstrike, and I told you that Earth's oceans were full of incredible life? This is what I meant! Life on Earth comes in so many shapes and sizes, each one so amazing and unique from any other...Humpback whales are actually one of the smaller whales, not counting their cousins, the dolphins.**

"These are _small_?" Grimlock observed the larger members of this particular group, their moaning continuing as they spoke to each other. "...then what are the biggest?"

**That would be the Blue Whale. They're too big to make it into the bay here, but they can get to 100 feet in length... I've got an idea.**

"An idea for what?"  
But Bee didn't respond. After a few moments, something came falling down from above, and Grimlock grabbed it as it fell. It only took a brief look to identify it as Bumblebee's Decepticon Hunter, but why would he drop it down here? Was he supposed to use it to reach the surface again?  
His confusion was only increased when one of the whales came towards him, nudging his hands with its nose. "What? What is it? WHOA!"

Another whale was suddenly up underneath him, lifting him up out of the sand. Bubbles trailed past him as it whined, and then another came up to help them, and then another. Grimlock wasn't sure what to do about this, he just clung to the Decepticon Hunter.  
The whales lifted him higher and higher, until he broke the surface alongside the ship he'd previously been on, hard blows of air coming out of those holes on their heads.

"Yes!"  
Grimlock looked up as Bumblebee exclaimed, and then took his leader and Sideswipe's hands as they pulled him up onto the ship's deck. "You okay, Grim?"

"Yeah...That was kinda fun!" Grimlock admitted, shaking water from his chassis.

"Sir, how did you do that?" Strongarm asked.

"Yeah!" Sideswipe agreed. "How'd you get them to bring Grimlock back up here?"

Bumblebee grinned, bending down and stroking the nose of one of the whales. "Whales are _very_ intelligent creatures, and are notorious for playing with humans. I figured that if I dropped something into the water, they'd play fetch and bring it back to me."

"And Grimlock with it!" Strongarm grinned. "Lieutenant, that's genius!"

"It's just taking advantage of my knowledge of Earth."

Grimlock leaned over the side of the boat and waved at the whales as they disappeared back under the water. "Thank you, whales!" He shouted.

Bumblebee chuckled. "Not so scary anymore, are they?"

"Nah...But if I saw those big blue ones, I might be a _little_ scared."

Bumblebee nodded. "Yeah...But that's one of the most amazing things about Earth, Grim. The largest creatures on this planet aren't even a threat to the humans, much less _us_... Come on, we need to get home and get these cons into stasis pods..."


	2. The Greatest Word (Rescue Bots)

At this very moment, the word 'bed' was the most beautiful word in the English language...the words 'we're done' coming in close second.

Every member of the Burns family was exhausted. The mayor's 4th of July firework display going awry and setting fire to half of downtown, followed by barricading the shoreline for an incoming storm to cleaning up after said storm had knocked down trees, powerlines and other debris, it had left them all mentally fried, physically drained and emotionally snappy, though they held their tongues from lashing out at the townsfolk. It wasn't their fault that their job was so taxing.

Even the bots were feeling the strain of the weekend's events, and as they tossed the last fallen branch onto the pile and out of the way, Heatwave examined his team.

Chase was brushing plant debris from his palms, his eyebrows furrowed in a focused manner.  
Boulder and Salvage were leaning against a slope, the recycling truck attempting to doze off into stasis and Boulder just staring forward like he was in a daze.  
Blurr was still somewhat functioning, but even his usually perky self was hiding behind a slumping frame as he looked up towards the rising sun. They'd been working all night, and Heatwave could hear his partner snoozing in his cab, getting at least some sleep before the rest of the day truly began.

The only bot not present was Blades, though he probably hadn't gotten much sleep either. He'd been assigned to protect Cody in the event that the storm damaged the Firehouse in some manner, the weather too bad for the helicopter bot to fly. Blades took his assignment seriously, especially now that he'd been emboldened by Bumblebee's claiming him as a friend.

"...Looks like the last of it."  
Chief yawned as he looked around. "...Let's head home, everyone."

Heatwave transformed into vehicle mode, taking care not to wake Kade who was zonked out in his driver's seat. "...Let's head home." He murmured.

"I never thought I'd say this, but... I can't wait to power down for a few hours..." Blurr admitted as he rolled past Heatwave.

"Boulder." Chase barked, shaking the Bulldozer back into reality from his staring. "We're leaving."

Boulder stumbled up to his feet, kicking Salvage with one foot.

"I'm awake! I'm awake...!" Salvage shouted, looking around for a moment before transforming into vehicle mode. "Are we done?"

Graham chuckled as he climbed into Boulder's cab. "I know _exactly_ how you feel, Salvage..." He mumbled.

Heatwave watched his teammates roll past before taking up the rear.

"H-Huh?" Kade sat up. "What's going on?"

"We're going to bed, Kade." Heatwave assured.

Kade gave a faint smile. "Bed...I love bed..." He mumbled, before slumping back into sleep in the seat.

Dani was standing by the door when the bots and her family rolled into the garage. She'd at least gotten _some_ sleep that night, which she knew is something the others envied. She'd already carried Cody to his bed after he'd fallen asleep at the Command Center console.

"Hi Dani..." Chief murmured as he climbed out of Chase and walked over to her. "...Sleep okay?"

Dani smirked. "Let's worry about_ you_ getting some sleep, Dad."

"You might need some help with Kade." Heatwave replied as he opened his door. "I don't think he's getting out on his own, and he's getting drool on my seats."

Dani crossed her arms, then turned as someone else passed her and headed for the fire bot.

"I've got him, Dani."

Dani grinned. "Thank you, Taylor."

Taylor grinned back, unbuckling Kade and pulling him out of the rescue bot's cab. "Come on, Kade..."

Kade lifted his head. "Tay...When did _you_ get here...?"

Taylor just shook his head, and then the humans all climbed into the elevator. "The life of a first responder does not guarantee naps..."  
Dani waved to the bots before disappearing as the doors closed and they headed upstairs.

Heatwave, Boulder and Chase transformed into bot mode, but the snoring from Blurr and Salvage told them they'd fallen asleep right there in park. "Alright bots, let's get some shut-eye." Heatwave informed.

"Good plan..." Boulder muttered as he headed for the platform leading them to the bunker. "I'm about to fall asleep on my servos..."

"I'll maintain watch in case another emergency occurs." Chase replied.

"Oh no." Heatwave placed a hand on the police-bot's shoulder. "You're getting some sleep too."

"But Heatwave-"

"No. I have not forgotten the_ last_ time you didn't get enough sleep. Cranky Chase is worse than normal Chase, _trust_ me."  
The police bot crossed his arms, but no longer protested against his leader's orders. "Good, then we've reached an agreement. Besides, Blades can probably cover the watch for a few hours..."

The trio hopped onto the platform and Heatwave set it to take them down. The beeping of the elevator was the only sound as they entered their personal space, but once they'd stepped off, they heard movement and turned to see Blades coming around the corner.

"You're back!" Blades cheered in a manner that was much too cheery for their tastes. Perhaps he _had_ gotten some sleep while they were out...Lucky.

"Yup..." Heatwave muttered. "And now we're going to crash for a little while. Let us know if anything happens."

Blades saluted, then looked around. "Where's Blurr and Salvage?"

"They fell asleep upstairs. Decided not to bother them." Boulder murmured. "...Goodnight, Blades."

"Wouldn't it be good morning, technically? I mean-"

"_Goodnight_, Blades." Heatwave responded, eyes narrowing. "I don't have the patience to ponder things right now."

The helicopter bot giggled nervously, and then waved as they retreated to the stasis chambers.

Heatwave watched Boulder climb into one chamber, and then waited for Chase to enter his. He knew Chase might try to ignore the order if he wasn't awake to make sure. Chase gave in to his fate and Heatwave waited until his vitals assured he was in stasis before getting into one himself.  
They may only be able to rest for a few hours, but for them that would be enough. Hopefully nobody else did anything crazy while they were asleep...

...But one had to remember, that this _was_ Griffin Rock.


	3. What Lead? (RID2015)

**A/N: IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FINAL SEASON OF RID2015, SPOILERS AHEAD!**

**This is based off of the episode "Out of the Shadows" from the final season of RID2015. I know that Jet and Slip aren't really siblings in the canon, but for this story's sake they are.**

* * *

The minicons could only watch as their master fought in front of them, wielding their blades but not able to use them. "Master let us assist you!" Slipstream requested.

"No!" Drift shouted, holding back his own former master with his blades. "Do only as you are told!"

"As I always taught you..." Shadow Raker broke free of the lock their blades had been, planting several attacks on Drift. "Concern for others is folly...And often fatal!"

As the two resumed their fight, Jetstorm and Slipstream watched from the sidelines.  
"Oh...!" Jetstorm complained, "How can we aid our master if he will not permit us to fight!?"

Slipstream's optics narrowed, "We will find another way..."

Jetstorm didn't like the sound of that. He could feel the plotting in his brother's processor, though he could not determine the details. _I don't like this..._

Slipstream looked to him, a smirk on his face. _Just trust me...Follow my lead._

_What lead? I don't know what-_

The pair's silent conversation was cut short as they saw their master become tied to a tree by Shadow Raker's webbing. Shadow Raker then turned to them. "He has held you close in fear of losing you as I did with him...Had I not, he'd still be by my side."

"Shadow Raker..." Slipstream murmured. "...We doubt it." _Jump, Jetstorm!_

Jetstorm only hesitated for a split second before jumping onto his brother's blade and letting him fling him up into the air. He swung his nunchuks around as he flew, but was unable to prevent Shadow Raker from first webbing his brother and then him. He yelped as he was knocked back, falling backwards onto the ground.  
The good news was that the webbing ball around him cushioned his fall...The bad news was that he was now trapped. He struggled to get loose of the webbing, or at the very least, stand up again.

_Pretend to be freaking out._ His brother encouraged.

_Oh I don't need to _pretend_, Slipstream...!_

"Do not touch them!" Drift shouted angrily, trying to free himself as well.

"But I promised punishment for your betrayal..." Shadow Raker cooed. "...It's only honorable to deliver on one's promises..."

The two minicons ceased their struggling as Shadow Raker stood over them, staring into his optics.

_Now what...!?_

Jetstorm let out a yelp as Shadow Raker grabbed the webbing and slung them both over his shoulders. He continued to struggle, his brother alongside him.

"Well Deadlock, I've enjoyed our little reunion..."

"There is nowhere you can go to escape me!" Drift informed. "You cannot run far enough that I will not find you!"

"I suppose we'll see, won't we...?"

The mincons were jostled as the decepticon transformed into beetle mode, and yelped as they were then lifted up off of the ground.  
Jetstorm could only watch as their master got smaller and smaller as they left him behind. "M-Master Drift...!" He whimpered.

_Don't worry, Jetstorm. I have a plan._

_Oh, is this your existing plan? Or is it a new plan that you just came up with because you_ _slagged up the _last _one!?_

_Calm down...We'll be okay._

Jetstorm glared at his brother, but then finally relaxed, shutting his optics tightly. _I hope you're right..._

* * *

The pair had been thrown back against the wall of the ship, still struggling as Shadow Raker readied the weapons to fire upon Drift and Bumblebee who were in pursuit.

Jetstorm groaned as the webbing refused to break even a bit. _Scrud...! I hope your plan wasn't for us to break out and defeat him on his ship, because we're going nowhere._

_Oh no...It's much better than that._

_Why does that not make me feel any better...!?_

Slipstream sighed, and then both jumped as the ship started to lift off.

_Didn't think he'd make it to take off, did you?_

_Would you stop? I can't think with you complaining!_

_Have you been thinking at _all_ this whole time!? I'd bet every bit of that Shanix the humans found that this is all spur-of-the-moment scrap!_

_Shanix..._

_No. Don't you even think of-_

"Advanced cloak activated..." Shadow Raker murmured. "...My ship and I can no longer be tracked by anyone...Say farewell to Earth, Minicons..."

"Thank the Primes you came for me, Shadow Raker!" Slipstream cried. "Drift _forced_ me to serve him...!"

_What!?_ Jetstorm struggled some more. "Slipstream!"

"Yes, you seemed quite conflicted when you and your little friend...tried to kick my head off."

"That was for Drift's benefit! I learned to pretend to obey him so that he woudn't punish me! I can _prove_ I'm loyal to you..."

_No! Don't you dare!_ "Do not tell him about the shanix, Slipstream...!" Jetstorm hissed.

"Shanix...?"

Slipstream grinned and Jetstorm pouted as the decepticon overheard him. _Me and my big voicebox...!_

"Here, on Earth!" Slipstream continued. "And I know where..."

Shadow Raker paused, turning to face the minicons again. "...How _much_ Shanix...?"

* * *

_This is the worst plan you have ever come up with...!_

Despite finally being free of the webbing, Jetstorm was not happy. He walked behind Shadow Raker and Slipstream, arms crossed and head down as they broke into the museum.

Slipstream meanwhile, was growing tired of his brother's whining. _They'll be here to intercept him, Jetstorm. You'll see._

_They'd better be. Because if they don't, and this theft goes smoothly because of you, I will never forgive you...!_

_...You don't trust me right now, do you?_

_In a word? NO._

Slipstream smirked, guiding the decpeticon through the door and into the museum's loading dock. "See Shadow Raker? Just as I promised. And no Autobots..."

"Yes..." Shadow Raker looked over the open box of shanix with a greedy look. "Slipstream, I think this is the beginning of a _beautiful_ partnership..." He turned to Jetstorm. "It's not too late for you to be a _willing_ participant, Jetstorm..."

Jetstorm crossed his arms once more and looked away. "...Never."

Shadow Raker shrugged. "We'll see what can be done about that attitude later..."  
He hurried to the door as the minicons grabbed the box and hurried after him. "Keep it moving. The faster we can get that shanix to my ship, the faster we can get off this backward planet...!"

Their attention was caught by screeching wheels, and they looked to see the rest of the team come swerving around the corners to the lot in front of them. Grimlock leapt over the trees to join them, before they all transformed into bot mode, ready to fight.

"How!?" Shadow Raker backed up behind the minicons as he drew his blade. "How did you set this all up!?"

"We did not..." Drift informed, before a smile appeared on his faceplate. "..._They_ did."

The minicons then looked to Shadow Raker as he glared down at them. "You lie and betray as well as your master!"

"Who learned it from you!" Jetstorm replied.

"You should be proud!" Slipstream added, working with his brother to slam the box down on the Decepticon's foot, before running away and to the feet of their master. They opened the box, showing the shanix to their master.

With a nod of approval, Drift took the box from them before setting it down and allowing them to return to their place on his arms once more.

_See? I told you it would be fine._ Slipstream reminded.

_I'm still mad at you..._


	4. Aliens? (Rescue Bots)

**An extension of the last scene in Rescue Bots episode "Family of Heroes."**

* * *

"...Think anyone will notice?"

Cody stared at the robotic dinosaur they'd just returned to the museum, though it was currently lying on its back in a frantic struggling position, just like it had the night before. "...Nah." He replied to his older brother Graham's question.

Yesterday had been the biggest adventure of his life. First, his family had been given new state-of-the-art tech in the form of emergency vehicles that could transform into robots on command, then he'd discovered that they weren't robots at all, but rather aliens from another planet! He'd made it his job to teach them about their new home, starting with how they would need to act around humans to keep their cover. That lesson had been cut short however, when one of the new robotic dinosaurs at the museum had malfunctioned and gone rampaging through the town.

It had taken some outside assistance from his best friend Frankie, a borrowed prison cell and a mudslide to corral and shut down the rogue machine, but now it was back where it belonged; in the museum, offline and in no danger of going crazy again.

"Mission accomplished..." Dani mumbled, followed by a yawn. "That was an adventure..."

Cody grinned a little. "You have no idea..." He whispered.

The family made their way back outside, where the early morning sunlight was finally over the horizon.

"Hold on, I want a picture of my heroes!" Chief Burns announced, holding out a camera.

Cody's smile faded as he moved out of the camera's view and in front of the bots. Everyone but him was a first responder, a hero. But he was too young to-

"_All_ my heroes."

Cody's head perked up again, watching his older siblings wandering over to stand beside him instead...Well, not all of them.

Kade smirked as he crossed his arms in defense. "Come on, Dad. Just because Cody answered _one_ rescue call doesn't mean he's part of the team." He insisted.

"Yes it does..."  
They all looked to Kade's bot as it spoke with a deep, gravelly tone, even taking a step forward on it's own and it's visor retracting to reveal a pair of orange glowing optics. "Or we're _not_."

The bot bent down, making them back up even further as it placed a hand on Cody's shoulder, who hadn't moved an inch and whose smile had reappeared. "Cody is our liason on this mission, he's the reason we're even giving this place a chance..." It leaned closer to Kade's face, a glare cross it's own. "Are we _clear_...?"

Kade let out a frightened squeak as his bot moved back into position and dashed to his father's side. "Dad, did that..._thing_, just talk back to me!?"

"Something's _definitely_ wrong with the robots..." Dani murmured.

"We _can't_ use tech prone to malfunction." Graham insisted.

The Chief placed a hand around his oldest son as he continued to look at the camera. "They're not malfunctioning...They're aliens."

"WHAT!?"

The camera flashed, gaining a picture of Chief smiling, Cody giving a thumbs up, and his three older siblings' shocked reactions to what their father had just announced.

"A-Aliens...!?" Graham stammered, adjusting his glasses that had fallen out of place in his shock.

"Stop messing around, Dad!" Kade complained.

"He's not." Graham's robot responded, his voice deep also, but softer and more gentle. "We are, and always have been, aliens to your planet."

"But we're the only ones who can know about it!" Cody replied. "We have to keep it a secret for the rest of the townsfolk, or else they'll all freak."

"_THEY'LL_ FREAK!?" Kade shouted. "_I'm_ freaking!"

"Shh!" Chief hushed his oldest. "We'll discuss this back at the firehouse."

His bot immediately transformed into his cruiser, and he climbed inside of it. "Let's go, Chase."  
The pair drove off without another word, as if it was no big deal that he'd just climbed inside of another sentient being.

"There is no way I'm getting back in your cab!" Kade argued as his bot transformed into the fire truck.

"You have to. If we're seen driving without any drivers, our cover will be blown."

Kade groaned, and then climbed up into the cab.

Graham's bot and Dani's bot also transformed into their vehicle forms, and Graham and Dani climbed in.

"Can I ride with you, Graham?"

"Hop in, Cody..." Graham replied.

"We'll see you back at the Firehouse." Dani informed. "With this one, I'm most likely to be last anyway..."

Dani's bot gave a sigh, and Cody smiled at him, patting his side before climbing into Graham's bot alongside him as it pulled away.

"So Cody..." Graham asked. "...How'd you know the bots were aliens before we did?"

"We're not exactly the best at pretending to be emotionless." His bot replied. "My name's Boulder, by the way."

"N-Nice to meet you..."

"Cody's agreed to help us learn about Earth and maintain our cover better."

Dani's bot's face appeared beside Boulder's on the screen. "Some of us need it..."

They were accompanied by Kade's bot. "I may be a block away, but I can still hear you, Blades..."

"Who said I was talking about you!?"

The other two vanished as Boulder gave a sigh. "I'm not quite sure if pairing up Heatwave with your brother was the best move, Cody."

"You've only just met us." Cody patted Boulder's dash. "Things will be smoother once we know each other better."

"Right."

Graham kept his hands on the controls to maintain the facade, but there were several times when Boulder shifted the controls slightly under his hands that made him jump. The rest of the ride back to the Firehouse was an awkward quiet, with neither human nor bot speaking.

True to her word, Blades and Dani reached the Firehouse last, though not as far behind them than they'd expected. Blades probably just wanted to get back onto the ground as soon as he could. Kade had already gotten out of Heatwave and gotten some distance from the fire-bot, while Chief stood with Chase directly behind him. Graham and Cody climbed out of Boulder so that he could transform into robot mode, and after a few seconds, Blades and Dani entered the garage as well.

"Close the door, Cody." Chief informed.

Cody ran over and closed the garage door. As the sound of the door echoed off of the walls and then faded, the space was filled with an eerie silence, only filled with the occasional creak of one of the bots' joints.

"...Now you may ask questions."

Immediately the questions started coming from the three oldest children.

"They're aliens!?"

"They can think for themselves!?"

"Why didn't you tell us!?"

"Are they the only ones here?"

"How do you expect us to do our jobs working with alien machines!?"

Chief waited a few seconds, then lifted his hand to silence them. "I know. I should have told you before they arrived yesterday, but this whole setup was only decided about a week ago... To answer your question, Graham: They're not the only ones, there are more of their kind here on Earth, but not many. There are only about 12 known Autobots here on Earth as of right now."

"Our ship was floating through space with us in stasis pods," Boulder explained. "It picked up a message from our leader, Optimus Prime, that guided our ship here to Earth, where we awoke and met up with him...And were informed of our home's destruction while we were out of it."

"I received a call from a government agent to come to the mainland a week ago, it was there that I met Optimus, and was asked to keep these four on our island, and teach them about Earth customs...I met them properly the day they came to the island and were introduced to the public...and to you."

"So you're refugees." Dani muttered.

"We're your new _partners_." Heatwave informed firmly.

"I know it's crazy, and will take some getting used to." Chief replied. "But change is part of life, and so are surprises. Give it some time..."

"Hmph."  
They watched Kade wander off and head upstairs, followed by Dani and Graham.

"..._That_ didn't go over very well." Boulder murmured.

Cody smiled a little. "Would _you_ be immediately okay with it if you were told you were working with an alien race you didn't even know existed?"

"No." Heatwave replied. "To be honest, I don't like this idea of pretending to be simple machines... But if that's what Optimus wants, then I will follow his orders."

"Good." Chief gave a firm nod. "Try to get settled in some more, you four. We'll talk further later."

Cody followed his father to the elevator and as the doors closed, he turned to the Chief. "Dad...Do you think Kade, Dani and Graham will accept this?"

"I hope so, Cody... I hope so..."


	5. Mourning (Rescue Bots)

Something was wrong.

Heatwave had known that almost immediately. His partner had entered the firehouse quiet, for one. And for another, there was an aura of sadness that even the bots picked up on. The whole Burns family, and even some of the townsfolk were affected by this aura, walking with their heads slightly down, smiles fading faster than usual... But Kade was the worst. He hadn't seen the usually overconfident and sarcastic firefighter smile or laugh even once, not even when Heatwave tried to cheer him up. They'd been initially hesitant to ask, but Heatwave had finally gotten tired of having no explanation, and had caught Cody on his way in from school one morning.

When he received the answer, he almost wished he hadn't known. There'd been a loss, and he knew what that was like. He'd felt it when he'd seen how many of his friends had died in that time he'd been in stasis, and he'd felt like he should have spent more time with them, like they never should have investigated that distress signal all those years ago...

He found Kade, sitting on a crate in the garage. A small piece of cloth was in his hands, the firefighter running his hands over it slowly. The rescue bot took a seat on the floor beside him, not speaking for a long time, not looking at his partner, but just sitting with him.

"...I don't understand..." Kade finally whispered. "...What did we do wrong...?"

"...Cody said these things just happen sometimes..." Heatwave murmured. "...It's okay to be angry."

"I'm not angry, just..." Kade pulled the fabric up to his face. "...I wish..."

"...It'll get easier...But it'll never fully go away. Trust me, I know... But," The bot used a finger to pat Kade's leg. "...You'll always remember them...And one day, I'm sure you'll see them, in the Allspark, or whatever you humans call yours."

A smile appeared for a moment. "You bots are so clueless..."

Heatwave got up onto his feet again, then transformed into vehicle mode. "Get in."

"Where are we going?"

"Trust me, Partner."

Kade was hesitant for only a moment, and then climbed into the cab and clicked on the seatbelt.

Heatwave rolled out of the Firehouse, his headlights flashing on as they moved down the dark streets of Griffin Rock. Neither one spoke, an odd occurance for both of them. Both wanted to say something to break the silence, but didn't know what to say.

Heatwave paused outside of Kade's home. "...Go get Haley, I need her too."

Kade raised an eyebrow, but climbed out of the cab and disappeared into the house.

It took a few minutes, but eventually he returned, Haley holding his hand.

"What's going on...?" Haley asked.

"I have a surprise for you two..."

Haley sniffled, wiping tears from her cheeks. "Okay...?" She replied with a slight laugh.

Kade helped her carefully climb into the passenger seat, and then got into the driver's seat again. "You've got our attention, partner..." he mumbled.

Heatwave's face on the screen smirked as he started going again. "Good..."

Heatwave's drive took the two of them out of town and down a path through some big boulders, and on the other side was a little ocean cove. Kade looked out the window at the cove, seeing something glowing from near the water. "What's out there?"

"Climb out first."

Kade climbed out of the cab and helped Haley out, and Heatwave transformed into bot mode to follow them to the glowing shape. When they reached it, Kade saw it was an orb, painted in glow-in-the-dark paint and sitting in a makeshift bowl made of reeds and vines.

"...What is this?" Haley asked.

"With our kind, when one of our own passes, we take a little bit of their energon and fill a bottle with it, and then send it out into space in a little capsule to travel the universe... Knowing you humans, I figured a glowing ball would be better than a bottle of your blood or whatever."

Kade let out a laugh, the first Heatwave had heard in days. "Uh yeah. That would be suspicious...So what do we do with this?"

"...I figured we'd put it out on the ocean here... It's kind of the same thing...A little tribute to them."

Haley's eyes glistened with tears. "Oh Heatwave...You never even got to _know_ them...And you did this for us...?"

"I might not have met them, but that little life was more important to you two than anything in this world...So yeah, I did..."

"It's _beautiful_..." Haley kissed the bot's cheek as he bent down to them.

Heatwave stepped back, allowing the pair to take their time. This was for them...and for the human he'd never gotten to meet. _I'm sure you would've been as obnoxious as your dad...But I hope you know that we all loved you...Until all are one, Baby Burns..._


End file.
